Offices of key SSC-Avid inquiry lawyers burgled

THE offices of two lawyers who played key roles in the High Court inquiry into the Social Security Commission’s investment of N$30 million with Avid Investment Corporation were targeted by burglars on Sunday night.

One of the offices that were burgled was that of Raymond Heathcote, who as an Acting Judge presided over the High Court inquiry into the SSC-Avid investment deal. The reception area of the nearby office of Andrew Corbett, who represented the SSC in the inquiry, was also broken into.Initial indications yesterday were that a laptop computer belonging to Heathcote was stolen from his office.Corbett did not immediately report anything missing.A security guard on duty in the Namlex Building in Independence Avenue reported signs of a burglary at offices of the Society of Advocates of Namibia on the fourth floor of the building at around 22h00 on Sunday.Warrant Officer James Matengu of the Police’s Public Relations Division said yesterday it was suspected that intruders gained entry through an unlocked glass entrance door to the suite of offices occupied by the Society, and that they then forced open several office doors.They also broke through the ceiling in places to get into some offices.Heathcote’s and Corbett’s offices are both on the eastern end of the building.The office of a colleague, Christian Mouton, which is on the north-western side of the building, was also broken into.The intruder(s) smashed a large hole into Mouton’s office door to get inside.According to Matengu, items reported stolen include a laptop computer, a computer screen, N$200 in cash, cheque books and a pen.Crime scene experts and forensic scientists from the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia were at the scene of the break-in to investigate yesterday morning.At that stage, a Police sniffer dog had already been taken through the offices to look for bombs.Nothing was found.No arrests had been made by yesterday afternoon.Matengu would not speculate on whether the burglary was connected to the SSC-Avid court inquiry.The reception area of the nearby office of Andrew Corbett, who represented the SSC in the inquiry, was also broken into.Initial indications yesterday were that a laptop computer belonging to Heathcote was stolen from his office.Corbett did not immediately report anything missing.A security guard on duty in the Namlex Building in Independence Avenue reported signs of a burglary at offices of the Society of Advocates of Namibia on the fourth floor of the building at around 22h00 on Sunday.Warrant Officer James Matengu of the Police’s Public Relations Division said yesterday it was suspected that intruders gained entry through an unlocked glass entrance door to the suite of offices occupied by the Society, and that they then forced open several office doors.They also broke through the ceiling in places to get into some offices.Heathcote’s and Corbett’s offices are both on the eastern end of the building.The office of a colleague, Christian Mouton, which is on the north-western side of the building, was also broken into.The intruder(s) smashed a large hole into Mouton’s office door to get inside.According to Matengu, items reported stolen include a laptop computer, a computer screen, N$200 in cash, cheque books and a pen.Crime scene experts and forensic scientists from the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia were at the scene of the break-in to investigate yesterday morning.At that stage, a Police sniffer dog had already been taken through the offices to look for bombs.Nothing was found.No arrests had been made by yesterday afternoon.Matengu would not speculate on whether the burglary was connected to the SSC-Avid court inquiry.